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Let me start this letter with this: I am so, so sorry to those affected by the abortion bans that have been written into law. As a Canadian, I have the privilege to access an abortion, which I have…twice.

Periods: a topic most people shy away from talking about. But Amanda Laird is not most people. Talking about periods, reproductive health, abortion, miscarriage, infertility, menopause, etc. are her jam.

Suicide has been in the news so much more lately. It seems that I run into people quite often now, that a suicide has touched their life. I do not know if this is because it is more prevalent or if the stigma related to it has just gone away.

Addiction is not something that only happens to adults. All over the country teens are lead into addiction because of peer pressure or trying to self-medicate to cope with difficulties in life. Falling into addiction can happen fast so it is important to understand how it takes root.

The first time you ever heard the term “mental illness,” what did you think of? I can tell you what I thought of…I was in the beginning of high school the first time I recall hearing this term…I thought of mental illness as something that was permanent, something that individuals “had” and couldn’t recover from.

Sometimes I have long cycles. Like, really long. I’m talking the upwards of *75+ days long. They suck. The build-up of hormones leaves me in a perpetual state of waxing and waning PMS symptoms. It makes me feel helpless, especially when all I want to do is alleviate my discomfort.

Have you ever been harassed in the street? Received a crass message on a dating app? Had a coworker make a comment about your appearance that just didn’t sit right? You’re not alone. With the #MeToo movement, it’s easy to log onto Twitter or Facebook and see just how many women are victims of sexual harassment.

It’s 2018 and we are living in the middle of a gender and sexuality revolution. Conversations about gender and sexual expression are abundant on all sides of the political spectrum. It's an amazing (and sometimes a bit scary) time to be alive!

A few weeks ago, my partner and I were up in the north woods of Minnesota enjoying a long weekend away. We spent our days out in nature. Hiking the hillsides, swimming in the lagoons of waterfalls, and enjoy vast views of the coniferous forests that stretched high above our heads. I was also on my period. Why is this relevant?

I am standing in the bathroom of an Airbnb with my skirt around my ankles holding a piece of toilet paper with orangey-peach streaks of blood. I track my cycles; I know I shouldn’t be bleeding yet and I can tell something is different.

It's that time of year when days grow longer and the school year grows shorter. You can see the light at the end of the academic tunnel, but before you sashay your way across the finish line you have one more hurdle to tackle: finals.